Monday, October 19, 2009

"Look! Magic!!"

(Originally posted on my FB Site March 30, 2009)

Have you ever enjoyed a really great magic trick? You know it is slight of hand, smoke and mirrors, and not the whole of what you are seeing. Chris Angel and Lance Burton are two of the best in their entertainment field. My boyfriend, Lance Austin, is an amateur magician who does it for fun. One of my favorites that Lance does is floating and spinning a playing card in mid-air. I stand 3 feet away from him and can’t figure out for the life of me how he does it! On occasion I have been fortunate to be his “Worthy Assistant” and therefore, privileged to know the “secrets” of a few of his best tricks. No, I am not telling; I am sworn to secrecy under the magician’s code of ethics, so don’t even try to get it out of me! But we all have seen the infamous magic “expose” shows so we have some idea of how it works. Magic is the skill of slight of hand trickery – a distraction, the old “look over here while I do something else over there, right under your nose.” Viola! Magic! And we love this because we can’t figure out how they do it! We are right there and witness it with our own eyes. We know it is a trick but we can’t explain why.

We all have also heard the Biblical passage which says, “Judge not lest you be judged…” It is often misunderstood and misused, largely because the passage is never recited in its full context. One thing I learned from a very wise man in my life is it is so easy to change the entire meaning of a phrase with just one word. For example, let’s use the phrase, “Lance knows Wendi.” This phrase tells you that we have a relationship; we know each other. But add one word and you change the meaning: “Lance knows ABOUT Wendi.” This tells you Lance has a lot of informational knowledge of who I might be, but does not have personal knowledge as he is NOT in a relationship with me. Keeping this in mind, we can better understand the Bible passage when we complete it in context: “Judge not lest you be judged; rather judge with righteous judgment. For the measure with which you judge others, is the same measure which will judge you.” In other words, don’t have a judgmental attitude towards others because this is the measure that your own conscience will condemn you. Instead, be more humble and realistically understanding of human frailty - a frailty we ALL possess - just gather the facts, and make a sound judgment, much like we do in our Court Systems. We understand more when we read another passage which tells us that “… you will know someone by their fruit…” We know an apple tree because when we inspect the tree we see apples growing on it. So, while we are not to be judgmental (an attitude that puts another down while elevating self as being above ever doing or being like the one we put down), we are to be fruit inspectors. The more facts you have, the more sound your judgment.

There are 4 ways in which being judgmental affect us, hence, the exhortation to “judge not” i.e., don’t be judgmental. First, any Mental Health expert worth their salt knows that being judgmental is an expose of our own motives. We automatically assume everyone is like we are; thus, we tend to see in others the very things of which we are guilty. We naturally assume that others are thinking and doing things that they more than likely are not because when we are in the same given situation it is how WE would think and/or act. Being judgmental exposes YOU. Second, it fogs/distorts the view through which you are looking at others. This is what is meant of another passage that tells us, “Get the log out of your own eye first (deal with your own judgmental attitude) and then you will see clearly to get the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Third, in the same vein that we assume we are like others, we assume others do exactly to us what we do to them in the same situation. If we judge someone for how they "show off" dancing at a party, we assume that if we dance freely at a party that others will think we are also showing off. Last, there is a principle of sowing and reaping. You may have heard it as, “what goes around, comes around.” Others call it Karma. However you address it, the principle is the same; if you are judgmental, others will indeed be judgmental towards you, and in the same measure.

Understanding these tools (making a sound judgment and understanding slight-of-hand trickery) and how to use them creates a clearer lens through which we are watching what is going on all around us, both far and near. These tools, with others, as well as validation from other credible resources, assist me in having clarity about the current AIG debacle. It is classic slight-of-hand trickery intended to serve as “fact” for the casual observer and hearer. This “casualty” is far too many Americans who can no longer afford to be as casual just as I realized for myself these past few years. Therefore, these are the “secrets” I CAN expose so that there are far less casualties of “spin” and far more empowered and educated Americans.

Before I finish the point, let me interject my heart intentions in sharing the things I do. Frankly, I can care less about being Red, Purple, or Blue – I care that we are ALL, together, the American people and as we were so appropriately called during the Great Depression, we are “the forgotten man.” I don’t want Government to rule OVER us as they were established to serve UNDER us. It is “servant leadership” which maintains a principle of doing right by those they serve. We call Government Officials “Public Servants” for a reason. They get voted into and out of Office BY us – US! They don’t rule over us, they work FOR us. We do not work for them – they work for US!! This is foundational in understanding the truth of everything else. I simply come from a heart and place that loves my Country, loves my fellow Americans, and cherishes my family and friends more than anything else! I don’t want anything but the truth, no matter the cost or from where it comes, as I have mentioned many times before already. Part of the reason I used to be one of the many “casualties” in my knowledge of politics, our Government, and current events, is because it is so confusing to find and discern the truth. For someone like me who tries to understand all sides, parts, and points of view, I have found myself further vulnerable to the confusion. Since 9/11, I knew I could no longer afford to accept the confusion and began the process of not only finding truth, but also HOW to do it.

I realize it takes great effort, an effort not all have the time, let alone the desire, to exert, so I do it not just for myself, but for anyone who cares to partake of the fruit of my labor. It is a labor of love, again, for my Country, my fellow Americans, and especially for my family and friends. I freely share with everyone regardless of where you stand on anything, because as I have discovered, we are on the same Team. Government Officials are not. THIS is the beginning of the confusion. They try to make it a “Party” thing and scoop us into their “cause” by any means possible. There is no self respect in being a Governmental Pawn. I won’t allow myself to be one and I can’t stand to see anyone else be one either.

So, here is what I know and you are free to do what you want with it. All during the Election cycle, first with then Senator Clinton and later Senator McCain, I watched then Senator Obama use a familiar “magic trick” over and over again. I had ample opportunity to get really good at spotting it and seeing it for what it is. And no one will dispute he is skilled. Let me interject, I have also discovered that his Achilles Heal is the need to be adored by everyone. I can relate to this as this used to be an Achilles heel for me too. It is a need that goes beyond the basic human need for love and acceptance. It is a distorted version of that need in that unless it is acceptance by everyone, it feels like rejection by everyone. I am grateful for the faithful work of God’s love and grace in my life which set me free from that long stronghold long ago. I finally know who I am and Who’s I am and that is enough for me. But this is not so with President Obama. I compassionately understand why this is his Achilles heel, as it stems from a fatherless life from which all children derive a sense of acceptance and security. You see it in the way he must be in front of the camera making speeches every day, in the way he must still campaign to win public approval for his far left policies even though he has already won the Presidency, in the way he childishly engages the media and those who oppose him, in the way he addresses opposition with “there are those that say…” and in the way he responds and goads those who do not agree with him, just for starters. Instead of caring less about being liked, he cares too much about it. He becomes like the tail wagging the dog because his popularity, or lack of it, is what steers him, and steers him off course. His eyes are no longer on the road where they need to be as President.

During the campaign, he behaved the same way. Whenever the important issue of his character came under any type of scrutiny, he was immediately on the defensive. Even with help from the major media who wanted him to win, he used a “magic” trick to deflect from himself. He would create “distractions.” He would simply get people looking away from character scrutiny and get people talking about other people and other things. Sean Hannity and Fox News came to the fore because he called attention to them by attacking THEM for doing their job – vetting him – scrutinizing him, and exposing the truth as the rest of the media would not do. He didn’t like it, so much so that he would turn the tables on them. Suddenly, instead of scrutinizing his character, we are scrutinizing Governor Palin’s wardrobe! Bate and switch, slight of hand, smoke and mirrors… Further, he exposed himself in that, anytime something legitimate was addressed, HIS judgment on the given issues about him, was that the talk was only a “distraction” from the issues HE deemed important. I could retire a wealthy woman on the dimes collected for every time the talking point response to vetting question about him and his lack of qualification to be President was, “There is nothing to that concern; it is just a DISTRACTION…”

THE very things he was guilty of saying and doing, he accused the opposition of doing, over, and over, and over again. I watched it all day as I was out of work for 4 months and had nothing else to do but educate myself, tape it all, and take notes. He had ample opportunity to win me over as I began the election season with a clean pallet. Instead, he drove me away with this type of conduct. I watched one day with total shock at the blatant audacity to lie to the American voters. It was like a light came on as to how it all works and why it is so confusing; but not after that day. The morning of the economic downfall in September, I watched 4 speeches live: First Senator McCain, then Mr. Paulson, the former President Bush, then Senator Obama. I have it all on tape and know exactly what Senator McCain said that morning, all of which was true documented fact. (Links of financial meltdown facts attached) One of the things Senator McCain sighted was how back in 2005, he and others tried to do something about resolving issues with Fannie and Freddie before it all fell apart, “and Democrats, including Senator Obama, blocked it.” That is all he said. Within 2 hours, then Senator Obama was out on the stump and spun it this way: “… you want to know what Senator McCain had to say about our economic crisis? He blamed the whole thing…. on ME!” And those who were there believed it as Gospel, the way it was later reported was Gospel, and how it was later believed was as Gospel. This new truth was a very blatant lie! I have it all on tape! I saw it for myself and couldn’t believe it! And not even Fox News called him on it!! I saw this happen over and over and over again! That marked the first day of my quest for truth, both finding it and sharing it.

Now, as of today, his historic approval rating has dropped over 20% in his first 2 months in Office. Comparatively to former Presidents Bush and Carter, it is lower for this exact same time in their respective Terms. And there is valid reason for it – most Americans do not want to become socialists! We don’t like being forced to pay higher taxes for generations to come by bailing out entities like AIG that need to fail or reboot with Chapter 11. (I addressed this topic in a previous entry.) I could go on and on but the point is there is massive disenfranchisement growing rapidly across the Country and instead of “hearing” us and realizing his policies are not what we want, he goes to work campaigning again, trying to win people back over with his charm, and completely missing the point. What else new will we hear that we haven’t already heard every single day already? It is a socailism and we emphatically don’t want it!!

And true to form, he indeed, does himself, create a “distraction” so that we do not focus anymore on what is causing his rating to drop. Enter AIG. Refer to my links to see Glenn Beck’s video, explaining it all. I will bottom line it here. It is hypocritical as well as deflective to NOW be angry at AIG over the $165 Million bonuses that, right or wrong, are legally bound up in a contract that is protected by the Constitution. Further, Chris Dodd, Mr. AIG Millionaire himself, buried legal protections/provisions for bonuses within the rushed through Porkulous Bill. While AIG has already acted appallingly without regard for us American taxpayers, that is not all that is there by which to be outraged. What our Government has done in addition to this outrage, in BILLIONS of dollars, through AIG, is FAR more egregious than $165 Million, in comparison. So, the distraction has been to take up our fury over this recent AIG issue, to appear to be on our side, all the while THEY helped create and further enable this whole mess for which we and several generations to come will pay, and all so we won’t see the truth and be justifyingly angry at THEM for the Billions of dollars that they funneled through AIG, of which more than HALF went to bail out other Countries!!! “Ooh! Look over here at this awful $165 Million dollar sin and see how angry we are on your behalf at bad corporate raiders! See how bad capitalism is to you the victim? Keep looking over here because I don’t want you to even notice the mess we made with Billions of dollars over there.” And for the cherry on top of all of this: "See why Government must be in control?" It is controlled chaos which paves a road to justify tryanny. It worked for Hitler exactly like this, and in the same, patient, methodical steps.

Bottom line: they don’t care!! They only care about money and power – control! They don’t care about us! We have all forgotten that they work FOR us - for US! And yet, instead of REALLY serving by foregoing their salaries, holding Hollywood fundraisers, and cutting out the Pork; instead of REALLY serving us by cleaning up their own vomit with their own resources, they put it all on us and future generations to pay for something we never voted in to Office!! Government does NOT have our best at heart. And the more power you give, the more they take. BE VERY CLEAR: The bigger Government power THEY have, the less power WE have. I don’t care what side you stand on – I am all about personal empowerment and NOT for Government power over you. The sooner we realize that WE have the power to make good things happen with our own best at heart, that is when we are open to have the ears to hear and the eyes to see all truth, and be empowered by it to do something good for US, not them.

Whether they are Red or Blue, many, but not all, Government Officials are guilty of bamboozling the American people because we enable it and we allow it. I can’t take it anymore. Magic tricks are for fun, not for running the American Government. “WE the people” are empowered with the gift and responsibility to make sure we retain Liberty and not move swiftly to Tyranny. It is what our foefathers painstakingly ensured for us, thousand with their lives. If we don’t, then just like the surprise assault on the Twin Towers (representing all the precious Americans we lost) on 9/11, we will be blindsided by the greatest magic trick of all – America, now you see Her, now you don’t. God forbid… God forbid.

About Me

Take the journey with me in navigating single life. While this Blog will read like a journal, it is designed to become interactive. And even though the focus is as titled, for "single ladies," men are not excluded from this ongoing conversation. Hoping we all can learn from each other, encourage one another, and grow together.